“At Christmas, there can be so much stress,” someone shared with me. “People crowd together shopping, cutting in line, elbowing, darting to get one car ahead in all the traffic. When you finish, you can end up rushed, tired and stressed for Christmas.”

Does Christmas have to be this way? How might you have a more blessed and less stressed season?

1. Get your priorities right

Who is this season all about? The center of Christmas is Christ. Keep your eyes on Him.

Where did this expectation come to buy gifts for one another? Or to stuff ourselves? Or to spend hours putting up lights on our house? These may all be nice, but the point of the season is Jesus.

You have the right to step back from all the pressure and ask, “Do I really need to do this? What’s most important? Isn’t it Jesus?”

If what you do is filling you with resentment or does not honor Jesus, then maybe it’s time to do something different.

2. Honor Jesus this Christmas

How do you honor Christ when your schedule is crammed? What about scheduling time to be with Jesus in prayer and Bible meditation? Or to learn about who is Jesus? What about stopping the rush by taking a time for spiritual refreshment?

For example, enjoy singing Christmas carols as a way of honoring Christ. Read about his birth. Read one or more of the Gospels. Listen to great Christmas music.

Put Jesus first this Christmas and let Him redeem your holidays!

3. Seek alternatives to the busy-ness.

Don’t just shop for stuff. Relish relationships. What if you made it a point to dedicate special time to your spouse, your children or your parents?

Let this season be one of warmth and love.

4. Develop healthy traditions in your family

Some families use an Advent calendar to center their attention together each day on Jesus.

Other families may watch special Christmas classics together, such as “Dickens Christmas Carol,” or “It’s a Wonderful Life,” or the “Nutcracker Suite.”

Before opening presents, some families read the Christmas story (found in Matthew 2 or Luke 2.)

Other families make it a tradition to shower extra gifts upon charities and missions, like the Salvation Army.

Yet others bake cookies for their neighbors.

5. Scale down holiday expectations

Look to the LORD for peace when you are over-taxed emotionally during the holidays.

Set a limit as to how time and money you will spend. Otherwise holiday season can become draining and crazy!

Give yourself permission to say “No” to some things, so that you can say “Yes” to others. Say “Yes” to your time with Jesus. To say “No” to a long list of invitations can be to say “Yes” to your family.

6. Look for Jesus in the midst of Christmas

Make the season work for you! Use the high spirits of the holidays to buoy you upward to a closer place with Jesus. The beauty, richness and joy of the season come originally from the birth of the Lord of Life and the Prince of Peace.

Take the whole holiday time to rejoice in the splendor of Christ.

The wrappings of Christmas gifts can be fun, but don’t get wrapped up by it! Instead, see the real gift of Christmas, Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Love’s pure light.

Why not have yourself a merry little Christmas?

“… For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11

Dwight Sullivan is pastor of Whittier Evangelical United Methodist Church